The present invention relates to a system for supporting a pipe, more particularly such a system that is readily fabricated and installed, and which will provide the requisite supporting forces to the pipe.
Systems for hanging or supporting pipes are, of course, well known in the art. In their most rudimentary form, pipe hangers comprise a strap material, usually metal, which passes around a lower portion of the pipe and some means to fasten the strap to a support structure above the pipe. In order to prevent excessive manufacturing and installation costs, the pipe supporting straps are rather narrow in a direction extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe. This causes increased stress concentrations in the contact area between the support strap and the pipe which may result in breakage of the strap or failure of the pipe as the pipe and hanger undergo relative motion caused by their expansion and contractions.
Such pipe hanging straps cause particular difficulties in installations wherein an insulation layer is applied over the pipe surface. In this instance, the strap typically passes around a portion of the outer surface of the insulation and will generally cause the insulation to compress, thereby defeating the insulation characteristics in this area.
It is known to provide devices extending through the insulation so as to bear directly against the pipe to prevent the hanger from compressing the insulation. It is also known to form the insulation material with a more rigid lower portion so as to support the pipe in the hanger. These devices have not completely obviated all of the problems, however, since it is generally necessary to cut or remove the insulation during the pipe hanging process to install the devices. Also, by forming the insulation with a hardened or more dense lower portion, the insulation characteristics of the layer may be reduced.
Pipe supporting cradles also may compress an insulation layer applied to the pipe, or may cause wear in the pipe wall (when no insulation layer is utilized) due to movement between the pipe and the supporting cradle caused by expansion or contraction of the pipe.